SPlog

The Downtown Champaign restaurant is now open at their new location. Just a little bit south from their previous location, KoFusion is now in the huge white building at 30 E Main Street in the former PNC …

Common Ground Food Co-op’s next virtual cooking class is 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, October 24th. The menu is fresh pasta made from local flour in a roasted tomato sauce served with an autumn mixed greens …

After a virtual gathering in 2020, the latest iteration of the annual Playful by Design Symposium is taking place at CU Community Fab Lab and the brand new Siebel Center for Design. The symposium is …

The Cities of Champaign and Urbana and Champaign County have announced trick-or-treating hours as 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 31st. Officials also remind you to be mindful that there is still a pandemic, …

Samantha Wells, a Master of Social Work student at U of I, was on Jeopardy this week. When guest host Mayim Bialik did the usual contestant conversing, Wells had the opportunity to promote Domestic Violence …

United Way of Champaign County has issued a request for proposals from nonprofits that are working to improve child well-being through mental health and trauma responsive services. Their Community Change Grants can be anywhere from $10,000 …

Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County hosted their annual Raise the Woof! fundraiser on September 25th, and now all of the pet palaces the teams designed are ready to be auctioned off to the highest …

Champaign Unit 4 School District is seeking public input about how to spend American Recovery Plan Funding (ESSER III). There are two information/input sessions; one in person on Tuesday, October 5th, and the other via …

As a part of the ongoing Parkland Art and Design Faculty Exhibition at Giertz Gallery, ceramic ist Chris Berti will be presenting a virtual artist talk at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 5th.  Register for …

The Champaign County Continuum of Service Providers to the Homeless is looking for proposals for a low-barrier, year-round emergency shelter. As we’ve written about before, this is something that is greatly needed in our community. …

The Miller Park Zoo Spooktacular is happening October 22-24, and is a family friendly Halloween event. It’s outdoors (safety bonus), has crafts and activities and candy, and is another opportunity for the kiddos to show …

The gelato is served during all open hours, so you can even get Bread Co gelato for breakfast. The campus restaurant added gelato to the menu last week. The current flavors are chocolate, cappucino, mint …

After a short closure earlier this month, the Ribeye is reopen for dinner service under the same owners. The menu is exactly the same as before, and you can read it here. You can enjoy …

The Richmond Family Welcome Gallery, housed in the Alice Campbell Alumni Center, is inviting the public back after being closed due to COVID. Homecoming week is coming up next week, and it’s the perfect opportunity …

The City of Urbana Arts and Culture Program has been awarded a 2021 AARP Community Challenge Grant. According to the recent announcement, the funds will be used to launch “the Growing Community Public Arts Initiative, …

At 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 25th, The City of Urbana will celebrate the 2021 selection for the Murals on Glass Program. Reef, created by Jen Gibas, is now displayed on the Urbana Aquatic Center’s …

The FDA and CDC have determined that some people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. If you are 65+, if you are over 18 and live or …

NOLA’s Rock Bar turns one year old this Saturday, October 2nd. To celebrate, the bar is hosting a big celebration bash featuring door prizes, giveaways, drink specials, and live music starting at 4 p.m. from Kilborn …

The City of Urbana has announced their leaf collection schedule for this year. They will be picking up your bagged leaves on your U-Cycle day the weeks of: November 1-5 November 15-19 November 29- December …

Downtown Champaign will be a part of U of I Homecoming Week, happening next week. This will be the first time a community event is part of the festivities. 40 North is hosting a sort …

For Illinois Theatre, the first weekend in October means a 48-hour playwriting festival. According to a recent social media post, faculty, student, staff, and alumni of Illinois Theatre “will collaborate from start to finish across the …

The Undergraduate Library will be transformed into a home for the University Archives, Illinois History and Lincoln Collections, and Rare Book & Manuscript Library, but not quite yet. After selecting Champaign-based RATIO Architects and Boston-based Shepley Bulfinch …

It’s National Coffee Day, which got me thinking about how many solid local coffee joints we have here in C-U, all with their own unique menus.  I generally go with black coffee, but I do …

Skate-punk band Longbirds have released a new song titled “Calling Off” as well as an accompanying music video. The song is an ode to self-care, urging the listener to call off of work, put some …

The City of Urbana is working on their comprehensive plan, and they are in the “gathering information from the community” phase. You can do so through the website, or utilize their new text survey, which …

Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble, who received her PhD and MS from the iSchool at the University of Illinois, has been named a 2021 MacArthur Fellow. Noble is a scholar in digital media studies. Her book …

It’s basically an un-frozen milkshake. For $5, it was a very yummy sweet treat, especially on a beautiful warm day. If you like strawberry milkshakes, then this is the drink for you. (There are other …

This Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. MTD is hosting an Accessibility Expo at Illinois Terminal. From the Facebook event page: This event will allow people who may be less familiar with the interior of …

Smile Politely is always welcoming new writers into the fold, and that, of course, includes our Food & Drink section.  What’s required? You should have a mild grasp on food culture, and be curious enough …

The other day, all my husband wanted was NAYA’s Korean fried chicken sandwich. Sometimes, we do curbside pickup from NAYA, but because we had an occasion to celebrate, we dressed up and went in to …

This restaurant near Alexander’s Steakhouse in Champaign has a menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is no phone number listed online, but I’m curious to try it. Have you ever been to Sweet Basil Cafe? …

After a virtual shoebox parade last year, the beloved Parade of Lights is coming back to Downtown Champaign for an in person event. The 21st annual event will be November 27th, and will have the …

Last night, Hopscotch shared a photo of the breakfast menu for the new Downtown Champaign location with the bookstore The Literary. Breakfast entrées are $10-$14, but a la carte items are available ($1.50 and up). …

Internationally acclaimed poet and former NYC Poet Laureate Crystal Valentine is coming to Pygmalion on Saturday, September 25th. A self-proclaimed “generator and fierce protector of Black joy, ” Valentine “strongly believes that intersectionality is a …

The Oh, Honey Pie food truck has been off the streets for the last year, but will begin operating again on Saturday, September 25th. (The business has still been selling delicious pies through preorder and …

Here’s some good news for Illinois artists. The Illinois Arts Council Agency is seeking applicants for the 2022 Artists Fellowship Program.  According to the announcement: The program’s intent is to enrich and strengthen the state …

Sharon Irish, a research affiliate with the School of Information Sciences, started the ReGeneration Fund with Community Foundation of East Central Illinois in 2020 as a way to utilize her family’s multi-generational wealth to “support …

The Urbana Arts and Culture Program and Urbana Park District, as well as Urbana Poet Laureate Ashanti Files have announced the inaugural Teen Writer’s Retreat. The event will happen at Anita Purves Nature Center and …

Bearded dragons are becoming more common as household pets, and they are the most common lizard species seen in veterinary medicine. The research being conducted by Brad Sutton, a professor of bioengineering and the technical director …

WEFT Community Radio is celebrating 40 years of being on the air here in C-U, and they are inviting the community to join them for WEFT Fest at Seven Saints from 2 to 6 p.m. …

Last night, I was thirsty after dinner, and I ordered a couple of the new fall cocktails at Punch! Bar in Downtown Champaign. Photo by Alyssa Buckley. Made with bourbon, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, vanilla, …

Aumaine Rose Smith, a University of Illinois alumna and Cleveland-based poet, will be Allerton’s Fall 2021 artist-in-residence. Smith will spend two weeks living and working at Allerton, and will give a public presentation on November …

If you have costumes your kids have outgrown, or you feel like grabbing a bonus costume while you’re out Halloween shopping, you can donate them to the Champaign Park District now through October 20th at …

The Urbana Arts and Culture Program and the Spurlock Museum of World Cultures will be co-hosting a two-part dialogue series inspired by the work of The Great ARTdoors Project. Participating artists will discuss how their …

Note: this event was originally scheduled for October 2nd but has now been rescheduled to October 9th.  A group of Downtown Champaign business owners including Farren’s Pub, The Blind Pig Co, Cowboy Monkey, Champaign Center …

The University of Illinois Vet Med Open House is Sunday, October 3rd from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The annual event celebrates creatures, of course, but also the science and the humans that treat them. …

Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County is hosting their 3rd annual Raise the Woof! fundraiser this weekend at 302 N Broadway in Urbana. Teams will be in the parking lot from 9 a.m. to 2 …

According to a local real estate listing, it can be yours for just under $1 million.  THE BLIND PIG! What an opportunity to own a taste of Downtown Champaign! Located right in the heart of …